Tony Mowbray: 'Sunderland focused on permanent deals this month'

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has given more insight into the kind of deals the club want to do before the deadline.

Sunderland are looking for permanent signings in January, says Tony Mowbray, although they are open to a loan deal if the right player comes along.

The Black Cats have been credited with an interest in a number of loan deals this month, with Ellis Simms, Sam Surridge, Joe Gelhardt and Pierre Ekwah among the names linked.

However, Mowbray says the club’s January focus is very much on permanent deals as loan deals just create a fresh problem later on.

"We would always want to do permanent deals because then you are bringing your own players into the building," Mowbray said. 

"At this moment, if the opportunity for the right player on loan comes along then we wouldn't turn that down if we felt he was going to help us.

"Yet the continuous search to always bring your own players in is always there. We know that Amad will leave us in the summer.

"If we bring in another loan now, he will leave us and go back to his parent club in the summer. Those holes in the team need filling, so you're always looking to bring in your own players - it's just whether you can do them in January.

"It's a much easier, better, market to bring in your own players in the summer. If the right player comes along on loan in January, we know he's only filling a hole but he's helping the team win football matches then it is something we potentially would do."

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